Went back to Canada in 2008 to take a unique technical programme at a college near Toronto. Hired off of my co-op placement and have progressed through two other jobs with different companies. I now hold a manager level job in my field with one of the largest retailers in Canada. Money is OK. I make $75,000/year with benefits plus a profit sharing bonus. I was making about that much in my last year in Korea due to privates and it was tax free, but had no benefits or upward mobility.

There is a lot of work in Canada for anyone who trains in a field that's a little off the beaten path, or in skilled trades. If I could do it all over again, I'd become a pipefitter!

My time in Korea was awesome. I was 22, it was my first job and foreign experience. I will remember it fondly for the rest of my life. However, it can never be recaptured. I left because I was just trying to relive my first 6 months in Korea for several years. It's done. Time to move on. Glad I did.

[/quote]
A lot of positive experiences mentioned on this thread, but kind of short on specifics.

Also, I'm surprised there's not more entreprenuership mentioned on here. Didn't anyone come back from Korea with enough money to work for themselves, or start a business?[/quote]

I am American; employers seem to love the Korea angle; they also just hired a guy here as a media buyer who spent 2011 in Korea.

As for the entrepreneurship, i gave that a shot my first time home with the meager savings i had and bottomed out pretty quick.
I got lucky the second time going home, but i think it was worth the risk.

By far the best thing about living and working back home for me is that I don't feel angry all the time because I can't control most situations like in Korea. And by that I mean all of the situations that put you at a disadvantage because you're not Korean or you don't speak fluently. Like the time that jerk told the cops that I scraped his car with my motorcycle when I knew I hadn't. No matter what you do in some situations, you lose in Korea because you're not Korean.

There are tons of things that I miss though, good things about Korea and Japan. They're good to visit, but to depend on them for a paycheck? Forget it.

Went back to Canada in 2008 to take a unique technical programme at a college near Toronto. Hired off of my co-op placement and have progressed through two other jobs with different companies. I now hold a manager level job in my field with one of the largest retailers in Canada. Money is OK. I make $75,000/year with benefits plus a profit sharing bonus. I was making about that much in my last year in Korea due to privates and it was tax free, but had no benefits or upward mobility.

There is a lot of work in Canada for anyone who trains in a field that's a little off the beaten path, or in skilled trades. If I could do it all over again, I'd become a pipefitter!

My time in Korea was awesome. I was 22, it was my first job and foreign experience. I will remember it fondly for the rest of my life. However, it can never be recaptured. I left because I was just trying to relive my first 6 months in Korea for several years. It's done. Time to move on. Glad I did.

By far the best thing about living and working back home for me is that I don't feel angry all the time because I can't control most situations like in Korea. And by that I mean all of the situations that put you at a disadvantage because you're not Korean or you don't speak fluently. Like the time that jerk told the cops that I scraped his car with my motorcycle when I knew I hadn't. No matter what you do in some situations, you lose in Korea because you're not Korean.

There are tons of things that I miss though, good things about Korea and Japan. They're good to visit, but to depend on them for a paycheck? Forget it.

Yeah, if you have amazing Korean skills you can defend yourself like an equal, but if not then you really are at a bit of a disadvantage

Went back to Canada in 2008 to take a unique technical programme at a college near Toronto. Hired off of my co-op placement and have progressed through two other jobs with different companies. I now hold a manager level job in my field with one of the largest retailers in Canada. Money is OK. I make $75,000/year with benefits plus a profit sharing bonus. I was making about that much in my last year in Korea due to privates and it was tax free, but had no benefits or upward mobility.

There is a lot of work in Canada for anyone who trains in a field that's a little off the beaten path, or in skilled trades. If I could do it all over again, I'd become a pipefitter!

My time in Korea was awesome. I was 22, it was my first job and foreign experience. I will remember it fondly for the rest of my life. However, it can never be recaptured. I left because I was just trying to relive my first 6 months in Korea for several years. It's done. Time to move on. Glad I did.

What trades or off the beaten path jobs are most in demand now?

By "off the beaten path", I mean things that aren't widely studied or available at mosrt schools. There's a school in Fort McMurray that has a 1 month course to learn to drive Caterpillar 797 Haul trucks. They are the biggest trucks on Eatrh. You only need a regular drivers license to operate one, and Keyano College is the only place in Canada to train on them privately. That seems like a winner to me - in demand job, very few places to train in it.

If I were coming back to Canada today, I'd go to Alberta and learn a skilled trade like pipefitting, welding, electrician, or some petroleum engineering course at a college. Lots of good jobs in that field that pay well.

Non Destructive Testing (NDT) is an interesting job that is quite technical and in demand these days as well.

I searched college websites until I found an interesting program, related to a large industry, with few schools offering training.

By far the best thing about living and working back home for me is that I don't feel angry all the time because I can't control most situations like in Korea.

There are tons of things that I miss though, good things about Korea and Japan. They're good to visit, but to depend on them for a paycheck? Forget it.

I agree with your first point. Even after years of living here it's easy to come unglued dealing with stuff like that.

But when I do, I just start thinking about my bank account and my heart rate starts to go down. I'm earning ~$75,000 a year now teaching 12 hours a week at a university and privates. I'mm working 8 months a year. The other 4 months are mine for the most part during the winter and summer vacations, minus some meetings and other events.

But to go back home to a 9-5 job? With a real boss?

Forget it.

Last edited by I'm With You on Wed Jan 09, 2013 10:47 am; edited 1 time in total

Careerwise, I miss EFL, I miss Korea and I miss the freedom I had there.

Do you miss enough that you find yourself considering returning?

I did. I went back but soon grew tired of work predominating my life. Since coming back to EFL I've had way more time to myself to do the things I want. And I'm actually earning more money than I was back home.

I suppose the EFL lifestyle can be addictive for some. And the comment above about some people trying to re-live their first year or so could be an issue for many people. You're right, It's impossible to do.

Seriously? That's hilarious. But you were smart enough to know that you needed to commit to make it work and that's a step in the right direction.

Looking back at it now, I suppose I went back with probably the wrong mind-set and wasn't committed enough to make it work. I always knew I could go back to EFL and, specifically, back to a university teaching position if I wanted. Which meant more free time and long vacations.

Right, winter sucked. 2 things that I struggled with when I went back were poor public transportation and winters that were long and extremely cold.